Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation ...

equired telemetry materials for some START-accountable flight tests, failing properly to
declare certain ICBM road-mobile launchers accountable under the Treaty, and locating
some deployed SS-25 ICBM launchers outside their declared restricted areas. With
respect to this last issue, however, it should be noted that Russia has taken steps that have
resolved U.S. compliance concerns.
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
During this reporting period, the United States increased its efforts to engage in
compliance-related dialogue with States Parties with which we continue to have
concerns. The bilateral discussions underpin the United States’ effort to pursue strict
compliance with the CWC and resolve questions regarding a State Party’s compliance.
These actions have been taken under the Article IX provisions of the CWC for
Consultations, Cooperation, and Fact-Finding. Article IX provides a role for every State
Party to participate actively in resolving questions of concern which may cause doubt
about compliance with the Convention. For its part, the United States has successfully
used bilateral consultations under Article IX to resolve numerous compliance concerns.
The CWC section of this Report addresses our concerns with China, Iran, Russia
and Sudan, as well as the results of our interactions with Libya to assist it with declaring
and eliminating its chemical weapons (CW) program. However, the United States also
has conducted bilateral discussions with other States Parties during this reporting period.
These bilateral efforts have been well received and useful in laying the groundwork for
judging compliance; as a result, the United States has resolved a number of its CWC
compliance concerns. In this regard, the United States welcomes the actions undertaken
by Albania to declare newly discovered chemical weapons, obtain an extension to its CW
destruction deadlines, and work transparently and cooperatively to ensure the security
and elimination of these chemical weapons stocks. Such actions set a positive precedent
for CWC compliance and deserve to be commended.
Open Skies Treaty
Finally, it is worth noting that the Open Skies Treaty came into force in January
2002, making this Report the first to discuss compliance with that Treaty.
IV. ADHERENCE TO AGREEMENTS
A. POLICY
Effective progress by the international community in achieving key arms control,
nonproliferation, and disarmament goals requires parties to comply fully with the
obligations and commitments they have undertaken. Compliance with agreements or
commitments freely negotiated or undertaken by parties is a fundamental cornerstone of
U.S. national security policy and a bedrock norm of international relations. The rigorous
U.S. approach to compliance is deeply rooted in our own legal system and fundamental
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